On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:38:27 -0600, Rex wrote:

I found this among my Aloris style blocks, and it's foreign to me.
Can anyone identify it?

http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/

filename is 'tool block cutoff 004a.jpg'


Hey Rex,

Not a lot of help, but it is somewhat similar to a Dickson I have on a
15" lathe. The one you have has squares guides, where mine has
EXTERNAL V's , not internal like an Aloris or Phase II type.

Aloris and Phase II styles are locked in place by dropping them onto
the tool-post until bottoming the adjusting collar atop the
tool-holder, and rotating the locking handle on the tool post, which
in turn "pushes" the holding/locking cam "out" against the back of the
tool-block and jams it tightly into the V-grooves. The locking handle
is centralized on the tool-post and turning it forces ALL in turn,
usually only two placements. You can't lock two tool-holder blocks on
at once, as the cam is extending one "pusher" as it retracting the
other(s).

The Dickson operates slightly differently. Mine can hold three
different tool-holder blocks at one time (three faces), and I believe
some can do four or more. The tool-holder block is dropped onto a
vacant side, into the slots on the tool-post, and the tool-holder
drops down until the adjusting collar/ring comes to the stop/lock cam
slightly above the tool-post top. Without a pix to send you, it is a
bit difficult to explain what that is. Anyway, when the tool-holder
is in position, the individual locking cam is turned, and it forces a
cam/piston IN to lock the block in place, and at the same time grabs
above and below the adjusting collar/ring to REALLY set the tool
height to the place you adjusted it to at some previous time. This
allows as many cutting tools as you can fit without interfering with
one another.

If you still really want to see one, I'll take some pix of mine and
sent them to you.

Take care.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.